What skills to put on a resume

The skills section is one of the first things both recruiters and applicant-tracking systems (ATS) scan. The trick is simple: list the skills the job actually asks for, and that you can actually back up.

Hard skills vs soft skills

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities — software, languages, tools, certifications. Soft skills are how you work — communication, leadership, problem-solving. Most resumes should lead with hard skills (they're easier to verify and match keywords) and weave soft skills into the experience bullets rather than just listing them.

How to choose the right skills

• Read the job description. The required skills are usually listed almost verbatim — mirror that language.
• Match the keywords. Many companies filter resumes by ATS keyword. If the posting says "SQL," write "SQL," not "databases."
• Only list what you can defend. Anything on your resume is fair game in an interview.
• Order by relevance, not by how much you like the skill.

Example skills lists by field

Where to put them

A short, scannable "Skills" section near the top (for technical roles) or just under your experience works well. Keep it to a single clean line or a set of tags — not a sprawling list of 30 items. 8–14 focused skills is plenty.